The present invention relates generally to bundling devices and, more particularly to a bundling device for bundling elongate members such as electric wires, cables, tubes, etc.
Fastening and bundling devices are well known in the present art and in unrelated arts. Examples from the present art are represented by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,138,770 (Feb. 13, 1979); 4,092,765 (Jun. 6, 1978); and 3,892,011 (Jul. 1, 1975). These prior art devices can all be classified as ratchet teeth devices and are characterized by having a relatively rigid head and an integrally attached strap having a series of ratchet teeth on its inner surface which engage a series of complementary ratchet teeth on a pawl member positioned within a transverse slot through the head. Once the complementary ratchet teeth are engaged, they cannot be disengaged without severing, and thereby destroying, the device.
When these prior art devices are used to secure elongate members, such as a cable, in a bundle with other elongate members, such as in a coil, they must be destroyed in order to unbundle the elongate members. This is not a problem where the elongate members are intended to remain bundled. Where, however, the elongate members are bundled and unbundled in the course of use, a new bundling tie must be used each time. This lack of reusability may be quite undesirable from the standpoint of both high cost and the necessity for workers in the field to constantly carry large numbers of new bundling devices.
Fortunately, the prior art has addressed and attempted to solve the problem of lack of reusability. An example of which is a device similar to the non-reusable ties but having an adaptation enabling one to disengage the ratchet teeth with a special tool. Although such prior art devices are reusable, they share a problem associated with the ratchet teeth devices in that once they are disengaged they are also removed from the elongate member. This requires that the device be located, if it has not been lost, in order to secure the bundled elongate members.
This latter problem has been addressed by providing a "loop" in one end of a peel-resistant tape assembly tie for attaching the tie to a cord or cable. (This tape is commonly refereed to by the trademark VELCRO, and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,438 (Mar. 12, 1968)). These loops are of a fixed diameter however and often require removal of larger diameter devices, such as electric plugs, before the tie may be attached to the elongate member. Also, this device randomly slides along the member and must be found with each use. There is therefore a need for a reusable bundling device which is securely, semi-permanently attached to an elongate member when it is in the unbundled state, thus eliminating the need to "find" a bundling device with each intended use.
The prior art has addressed this problem by the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,700,432 (Oct. 20, 1987). This device comprises a flexible strap having a first portion permanently attached to a second portion; the first portion having hooks and the second portion having loops for providing a VELCRO type attachment. A transverse slot in the second portion receives a tie of a type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,138,770, 4,092,765 and 3,892,011. A pull tab is permanently attached to one end of the first portion.
During operation of this prior art strap, the tie is attached to an anchor member (e.g , wire) and once attached can only be removed with the aid of a tool. The strap is then wrapped around the other elements to be bundled and attached by the hook and loop attachment means described hereinbefore.
This device is not completely reusable without the aid of a tool to remove the tie. The device is otherwise only reusable at the location where the tie was anchored. Thus, rebundling of different groups of wires (i.e., members) is not always available without the aid of the tool. Further, reusing the tie at a different location is also not available without the aid of this tool.
Other examples of reusable bundling devices are found in unrelated arts. Such devices generally employ known hook and loop materials. Examples of such devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,114,838 (Sep. 19, 1978), 4,096,863 (Jun. 27, 1978), 4,088,136 (May 9, 1978), 3,994,048 (Nov. 30,1976), 3,942,636 (Mar. 9, 1976), 3,731,348 (May 8, 1973) and 3,279,008 (Oct. 18, 1966).